Senior Designer - Women’s Outerwear Classic Casual Wovens at Woolworths

To design commercial, beautiful product that meets and exceeds customer expectations and drives sales and adheres to the Woolworths Merchandise cycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop concepts, storyboard, sketches and drawings of new designs to be considered within the groups in line with strategy and design direction
• Review fabric and material options for the season and select materials for designs/product development  
• Determine colours for the season
• Develop seasonal colour boards in line with product direction
• Conduct inspirational shopping/analyse designer collections
• Identify trial opportunities in current season for future season
• Develop product spec packs/tech packs  
• Brief ideas, sketches and initial sample requests and costing sheets to relevant suppliers in line with sourcing strategy
• Conduct supplier visits to ensure sample accuracy and review prototypes
• Design product for continuity and selected items dependent upon supplier capability 
• Develop design brief
• Present season, including styles, looks, themes and fabrics opportunities in line with strategy and design direction
• Review and approve design brief samples and agree with buying continuity items, volume input and input items for season
• Build relationships with suppliers
• Build partnerships with Buying, Planning, and Sourcing and Technology and work in an integrated way to optimise the design capability within the Groups
• Manage the alignment of the Design critical path and the group to ensure on time delivery of the Merchandise cycle
• Develop, motivate, inspire and lead the relevant group’s Design team and provide ongoing feedback to enhance performance and deliver the seasonal product direction  

Technical and Functional Competencies

• Relevant Design diploma / degree
• 8 to 10 years Commercial/Design experience
• Deep understanding of Clothing: Garment construction, fabric, yarn
• Deep retail skill and understanding, both local and global
• Merchant and retail ability
• Product knowledge
• Creativity, taste level and flair in line with the brand
• Ability to sketch
• Ability to work on Photoshop and Illustrator
• Trend analysis and editing skills
• Ability to predict trends 
• Process thinking skills
• Ability to lead and manage a team

Behavioural Competencies

• Passion for the Woolworths Customer / product / merchandise
• Persuasiveness
• Interpersonal skills – ability to work with diverse groups of people
• Effective communication and presentation skills
• Team Player – service orientated
• Delivering high performance
• Driving quality
• Planning and organising